American Civil War historiography and publishing blogged daily by Dimitri Rotov.

9/29/2003

Have you seen this very heartening story about Louisiana's plans for developing Fort Randolph and the Red River campaign corridor? According to current plans, the emphasis will be on the marvelous engineering story to be told. This is powerful because it makes the site an artifact that can be explained, touched, and pondered;it makes history immediate, a far cry from the high-level regurgitated pop history served up by federal park historians at too many National Park Service sites. This is shaping up as state custody at its best.

And speaking of that oddity of federal service, the "park historian," did anyone ever suspect that the Corps of Engineers employs archaeologists? They are involved in some business involving the reclamation of the CSS Georgia. Local groups will try to raise money to incorporate the ironclad's remains in Savannah's Battlefield Park, which is devoted mainly to the Revolutionary War siege of the city. It is a well thought-out state site: "The National Park Service surveyed the site in the 1970s, but dismissed its historical significance." Lucky Savannah.

In other Confederate Navy news, a political fight is developing in South Carolina over the corpses found on the raised submarine Hunley. There is a plan to lay them in state on government property and it seems Republicans are in favor and Democrats against. No Union men were ever so honored. By Republicans. Or Democrats.